


Offsides

by astraev



Category: Fringe
Genre: Episode Style, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-20
Updated: 2010-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-13 20:38:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/141512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astraev/pseuds/astraev
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Like any other day in Fringe Division, something strange happens, which leads to something else, which leads to something else... it just happens to happen to both Fringe Divisions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Teaser

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jonesandashes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jonesandashes/gifts).



He was hard to spot, with his plain suit, white shirt, black tie, black fedora. He blended in. In New York City, it wasn’t terribly unusual for a man in a suit to duck into an alley, even into an alley behind Massive Dynamic. He was a watcher, and unused to being watched.

“Hey, look at him!” a teenage boy whispered to his two friends. They peered around the corner, the idea in their head that they were going to learn how to pick-pocket, that they were little bad-asses, that this guy, in a dark alley, was a good first target.

The leader of the boys turned around the corner, and the other two followed. The man was standing behind the dumpster deepest in the alleyway. He looked around, and the boys ducked behind another dumpster. “He doesn’t have any eyebrows,” whispered one of the followers, one who had kept sight of the man, while remaining out of sight. The man turned away, and the boys began to slowly stalk him, coming from out of their hiding places.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed, accompanied by a muted suction sound. The boys were thrown to the ground. The two followers hopped up and ran away, shouting about bombs and terrorists. The leader of the pack, however, ran forward, and ducked behind the dumpster, which was apparently unharmed.

There, in the wall, was a doorway, a portal. Through it, he could see the man with no eyebrows turned around, as if the close the door, and behind him the wide green open space of a park. Impulsive, as teenagers are, he leaped at the man, determined to get his wallet, or at least get in a fight.


	2. Act 1

Olivia Dunham stood looking at a window pane into the Other Side, and watched as the other Olivia stood talking and joking with the team there, Charlie and Lee, waiting for something unusual to happen. “I wish this thing had sound,” she muttered.

“I’m actually kind of glad it doesn’t,” said Astrid, coming up behind her with a cup of coffee that she handed to her. She had been promoted to field agent in the aftermath of Olivia’s return from the Other Side, but still insisted on taking care of Olivia. “I’m not sure I could stand to hear and have to understand two world’s worth of strange happenings.”

Olivia took the cup of coffee and smiled wanly. The FBI had scrapped the new Fringe headquarters that had been started before their foray to the B-side, and instead had rented this entire floor of an office building in New York City -- the approximate A-side equivalent of B-world’s Fringe Headquarters. There were a few couches, a few tables, and filing cabinets, but mostly, the entire floor was left open, minus support beams. It was well-lit, and eerie in its silence. “If there was sound,” she said, “We wouldn’t have to guess about what they’re running off to do.”

Astrid nodded, even though she knew Olivia was focusing on the window to the Other Side. “True, but we rarely have any correlation between what they’re seeing and what we’re seeing, at least in terms of Pattern events, but the parallel history can be kind of creepy.”

Olivia frowned, and adjusted the frame, turning it ninety degrees to face the other wall -- the wall where there was a large situation screen in the other Fringe headquarters. Through the window, Olivia could see a frantic briefing, flashing red lights, and genuine fear on the faces of her alternative colleagues, even herself.

“It looks like something big,” Astrid observed, eyebrows furrowed, taking a sip of her coffee.

“They’re panicked,” said Olivia, words almost under her breath. “It’s the highest level of alert, a possible universal breach, like the kind that started all this, not just a small molecular degradation. And it looks like they’re heading to Memorial Park...” She pointed at the map on the wall on the other side. “They might Amber it.”

“If it’s a universal breach,” Astrid said slowly, “and they Amber it? What happens to us?” She paused for a moment while the question hung in the air. “Where’s Memorial Park?”

“It’s where Massive Dynamic would’ve been in the Other Side,” said Olivia, meeting Astrid’s eyes.

Astrid, who had long since realized she was the primary contact with the Bishops after everything the Other Olivia had caused, pulled out her phone immediately, and dialed the number for Walter’s Massive Dynamic Lab.”Yeah, Peter?” Olivia and Astrid turned and headed out of the empty Fringe Headquarters, down the stairs, and out into the alleyway where their SUV was parked.

Peter stood in Walter’s Massive Dynamic Lab, and opened pudding cups as he listened to Astrid on the phone. He set down the pudding to repeat what Astrid had said. “There’s a universal breach, possibly like the kind Walter used to save me, and it’s on the grounds of Massive Dynamic?”

Walter, behind Peter and off to the side, eating a pudding cup and prodding a Bunsen burner, looked up. “A breach? Where?”

“It looked to be on what would be the North side of the building,” said Olivia, driving the car across town as quickly as possible in Manhattan traffic. Astrid, in the passenger seat, held the phone between them, using the speaker phone. In the lab, Peter had done the same thing.

“That’s the alleyway!” said Walter, hurriedly pulling on his coat. “We must go see, Peter!”

“Hold on, Walter,” said Peter. “The last person they’re going to want to see on this side of a universal breach is you. The second to last person they’re going to want to see is me.”

“They might want to see you,” pointed out Astrid on the phone, watching as Olivia navigated the Manhattan traffic. “Depending on their standing orders from the Department of Defense over there.”

“She’s right,” said Olivia. “And they probably would like to get their hands on me for further experimentation.” She paused for a moment. “Astrid, you’re going to make contact.”

Astrid looked at her boss -- well, her partner, but she had a hard time remembering the distinction. Olivia’s face was as open as Olivia’s face ever was -- and the question there was if Astrid thought she could do this, the answer that Olivia had the utmost belief in Astrid. “Oh,” said Astrid. “Yes, that makes the most sense. Anything in particular I should say?”

“I have a device for measuring the breach!” said Walter, suddenly. “Maybe it’s more stable than we think! Please, can you take some readings for me, Astrix?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Walter,” said Peter, but Olivia interrupted.

“If it’s a stable worm-hole, maybe we can establish diplomatic relations,” said Olivia. “Convince them we’re not at war.” She turned, and they were three blocks from Massive Dynamic. “Bring it down, but stay back.”

“You should stay back too,” called Walter towards the phone. “You don’t want to be captured, Olivia.”

Olivia smiled grimly. “I won’t be.”

**Other Side:**

Lincoln Lee, now Colonel and head of the Fringe Division, in the wake of Colonel Broyle’s defection and betrayal (the details of which he was not yet privy to and was determined to find), demanded a status update as he arrived on the scene of the Memorial Park Breach. “What do we have?” he demanded.

Olivia Dunham, team leader after Lincoln’s promotion, walked up. “We’ve got a universal breach -- that’s a hole to the other universe. A man with alopecia and a kid came through, and neither have any sort of identification that indicates anything but the fact that they’re not of this world.”

“Are they resisting?” asked Lincoln, who started walking towards the perimeter that had been set up.

“No,” said Olivia. “The man hasn’t said a word, and the kid is protesting his innocence, trying to tell us he didn’t mean to pick pocket the guy.”

She handed Lincoln a notebook that the kid had in his possession, which Lincoln then flipped through, observing symbols filling the pages. “Send that back to Agent Farnsworth, see if she can make heads or tails of it.”

Suddenly there was a loud commotion from the hole in the universe, and standing there was a young woman who looked very familiar, her hands in the air, one hand holding a device which looked for all the world cobbled together from spare parts. “Agent Farnsworth!” shouted Lincoln. “What are you doing near the breech? Out of headquarters?”

“Captain Lee,” said the Astrid, and Olivia and Lincoln looked at each other, noting the wrong rank. This wasn’t their Farnsworth. “I’m from the Other Side. Double check your readings, this hole is stable.”

Lincoln looked at Olivia, who shrugged. Charlie jogged up. “She’s right, more or less. There’s a tiny bit of loss, but we’re talking about a rate of about ten thousand time smaller than what we’re used to with sink holes and other breeches.”

“What do you want us to do?” yelled Lincoln. “We can’t just leave a hole between worlds.”

Astrid squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and strode towards the barrier where the Fringe team she watched every day was standing: Lincoln, Charlie, and the other Olivia. Some of the goons raised their guns, but Lincoln waved them off. “I want you to wait to Amber this hole. I want you to see if there’s another alternative to plugging this hole. If there’s a way we can get diplomatic relations started, if there’s a way to work together. We know your world is hurting ecologically; our world is behind yours in technology -- maybe we can work together.”

The three Fringe team members looked at each other. “This is way off protocol,” muttered Charlie, who turned away from Astrid and rubbed his hand over his head. Olivia shrugged, and Lincoln was left to the decision.

“Are you authorized to negotiate on behalf of your universe?” asked Lincoln.

“No,” said Astrid. “Our universe has no idea that this universe exists, other than those with very special security clearances. My superiors are backing my actions, and Agent Broyles and Dunham are waiting for my signal to also crossover and discuss terms with you.”

Lincoln looked at his team. “Charlie, you start building a tent or something to cover that hole. I have to go call the Secretary of Defense.” He shook his head, and touched the earpiece that served as his phone. “Olivia, you play hostess.”

Which left the Olivia who had infiltrated their ranks for three whole months and Astrid staring at each other.

“Hello, Agent Dunham,” said Astrid, bouncing back and forth from the heel to the ball of her foot.

Olivia leaned in close. “Speaking of special security clearances, Lee and Francis don’t know that I was swapped with the other Olivia for three months.” Astrid’s eyes widened, as she listened to a hiss that she found completely out of character for Olivia, but this was not her Olivia, and it was something that she had to steel herself for. “So, don’t you dare drop hints, or make off-hand comments, or hint that you know me.”

Astrid stepped away, and looked at Olivia. “That mission was damaging to my team,” she said. “You might want to pretend that you never left, but that’s a reality we are dealing with every day.” She hook her head. “I don't like you, but I’ll work with you -- and keep your secret as long as it’s worth it.”

“Are you blackmailing me?” asked Olivia, who lowered her head to look through her bangs, and Astrid was struck again by how different her Olivia was from this Olivia.

“No,” said Astrid. “Just maintaining leverage.”


	3. Act 2

“You asked to see me,” said Olivia, standing in the open doorway to Broyles’ office.

Broyles looked up from the paperwork in his hands and gestured with the paperwork to the chair. “I want to talk to you about the current situation.”

“What about it?” asked Olivia, face as impassive as possible, sitting in the chair across the desk from Broyles.

“We are dealing with an unprecedented opportunity to establish long-term communications and diplomatic relations with the Other Side. Our primary objectives in this early stage is to get a sense of the damage caused by Dr. Bishop on the other universe, collaborate with Fringe Division to find out more about this doorway and the Observers,” Broyles said, and Olivia nodded -- this was, of course, common knowledge. After a pause, he said, “Tell me about Agent Farnsworth’s performance since her promotion.”

“Astrid?” said Olivia, hesitating momentarily. “Agent Farnsworth has been performing admirably. You saw my initial report, and hers, about yesterday’s contact. She achieved our objectives, and maintained a power position with Altlivia.”

Broyles raised an eyebrow. “Altlivia?”

Olivia looked at her hands. “Walter Bishop named the Other Side Walter ‘Walternate,’” she explained. “I named the other Olivia Altlivia... so it didn’t seem like she could slip in here and become me any time soon.”

Broyles let it drop. “Here’s how I want the situation handled, and I want you to be behind this as the senior agent,” he said. He leaned forward on his desk. “You are to stay at Massive Dynamic, where we will receive Colonel Lee as a guest. You will protect the Bishops from any potential incursion. Agent Farnsworth will be our point on the Other Side, working with the Fringe Team there -- we apparently know much more about the Observers than they do, and they have collected a second notebook full of symbols. Perhaps with two, we can finally figure out the code.”

“I think that I am more than capable of being a liaison to the Fringe team on the Other Side,” protested Olivia. “In fact, I may know them better than they realize, which could be an asset in this situation.”

“As you know, Agent Farnsworth was able to determine that your cover in the Other Universe was never broken amongst the lower ranking agents. If necessary, we will use you, but until then, it seems that your knowledge is better served in our Universe, liaising with the agents which are coming to work with the Bishops.” Broyles looked down his nose at Olivia, showing that he was serious, and that this wasn’t open for discussion.

Olivia, for her part, knew exactly how far to push her boss. “Do you think that the Observers have anything to do with the stable hole between universes?” asked Olivia, going back to the original observations that Broyles had made about the situation.

“It stands to reason,” said Broyles. “After all, we know they’re on both sides, watching. They interrupted...” he paused, choosing his words, “interrupted Walternate in finding the cure for Peter all those years ago, setting everything in motion. They must both communicate and travel between universes.”

Olivia nodded her head to the side, acknowledging what he had to say. “I will protect the Bishops, Agent Farnsworth will travel to the Other Side and work with them there.”

“You have your orders,” said Broyles; Olivia knew a dismissal when she heard one.

Over at the headquarters of Massive Dynamic, two visitors were being ushered into the labs occupied primarily by Walter Bishop.

“Why hello,” said Peter Bishop, holding out his hand to shake. Both Lincoln and Charlie took his hand and shook it, nodding all business. “Welcome to Massive Dynamic.”

“I hate to point this out,” said Charlie, squinting a little at the man, “But you’re Peter Bishop.”

Peter laughed. “Yes, I am. Don’t go kidnapping me and taking me to the Other Side, now. I believe that is one of the objectives of the Department of Defense.” He shook his head, dismissing this objective as if it were crazy, something he didn’t understand in the least.

Charlie nodded, seemingly deciding he liked this Peter Bishop, even if he was the source of all the trouble. At that moment, Walter came bustling out of some side alcove.

“Ooh, Agent Francis!” said Walter, warmly. “We did always love your double around here.” He came over and shook the man’s hands with both of his, and Charlie threw Peter a skeptical look.

“I’ll explain later,” said Peter. “Maybe over a drink.” He nodded at Walter, who had moved on to Lincoln.

Walter looked at Lincoln very intently for a moment, and then his face brightened. “My, look at you! Agent Lincoln Lee!” Lincoln looked even more bewildered than Charlie, and looked to Charlie and then Peter for explanation.

“I didn’t introduce myself yet,” said Lincoln, bewildered at this jovial version of the stoic Secretary of Defense.

“I’ve met you before!” said Walter, brightly. “On this side, so I suppose it was your double, but I don’t forget a face.”

“He lies,” said Peter. “He may remember faces, but always forgets from where. I’ve never met you, so it seems it was some time ago.” Peter was apologetic, but smiled at the men. “What can I help you with?”

Just then, Olivia walked in the door, hands in the pocket of her overcoat. “Olivia!” called Peter. “We’ve just met agents Francis and Lee.”

“Hello,” said Olivia, nodding at them both. She sent a half smile in Peter’s direction, enjoying his good and clueless host act, but unable to fully appreciate it.

“I’m here to do some cultural research,” said Agent Francis. “Can you direct me to the Archives?”

“Well,” said Olivia. “We don’t have any capital ‘a’ archives, but we do have the Internet. I can show you the newspapers of record and other important websites.” She pointed to a computer station on one side of the room, and Charlie gestured for her to lead the way.

“And you, sir?” asked Peter, looking at Colonel Lee.

“I’m here to assist with the scientific analysis of the doorway,” said Lee, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his head on his neck, as if he were stretching for a run.

“Oh, of course!” said Walter. “Did you bring data to share? Come, come!” He waved Agent Lee over to a lab table towards the back of the room, leaving Peter standing near the entrance.

“I’ll treat our guests to coffee, then,” said Peter, to no one, and scanned the working pairs, before strolling out of the room to the nearest coffee shop.

 **Otherside:**

Astrid was quickly introduced to Manhatan, one ‘t,’ as she was escorted through it by a small band of goons. When they reached the building that marked approximately the same space as their offices in Manhattan, Astrid allowed herself to be searched and scanned and identified, though she insisted on having her gun back. Soon, she was on the floor she was so familiar with from the observations that Fringe-A had been doing -- it was the Fringe Division headquarters.

Altlivia came up to Astrid immediately, smiling broadly, arms open in a gesture of welcome. “I see you’ve found our humble headquarters,” she said.

Astrid smiled wanly, looking around. “I’m afraid that if you’ve seen our most recent headquarters, you’d find that yours are far less humble.” She looked over to a central console, and turned her head to look more closely. “Is that... Agent Farnsworth?” asked Astrid, noting that their hair styles were similar, but where as she was wearing the standard FBI black suit and white shirt, the other Astrid was wearing a beret and fatigues.

“Yes it is,” said Altlivia with a mischievous grin, crossing her arms across her chest. “She’s been assigned to work on the notebook on the man, which I think you’re here to help with primarily, right?”

Astrid pulled out a notebook she had stashed in the interior pocket of her suit and held it up. “It seems we have a matching set.” Altlivia tilted her head towards the console, and led Astrid over there.

“Agent Farnsworth, this is Agent Farnsworth,” said Altlivia, introducing the two of them.

“You are enjoying this far too much,” said Astrid, shaking her head. She put out her hand to shake the Astrid-B’s hand, and she was surprised to find that Astrid-B did not meet her eyes, though she did return her greeting.

“I’ll leave you two to work,” said Altlivia, and she exited stage left.

“I’m sure you’ve already realized that there are no repeating symbols,” said Astrid, trying to get her alternative self’s attention.

“Yes, I have noticed that, though many of the symbols share similar characteristics and some are up to eighty percent similar.”

Astrid put her copy of the Observer’s notebook down on the console. “Can you look at me?” she said. “Meet my eyes?”

“I’d rather not,” said Astrid-B, who continued to work. “I am uncomfortable meeting people’s eyes.”

“Ah,” said Astrid. “I suppose you weren’t subjected to the same kind of rigorous socialization I was as a kid.” At that, Astrid-B looked up briefly, but she didn’t say anything. “I’m guessing that you’re just as smart as I am. I know five languages, maybe you know more. I have two degrees, including a minor in computer science, and from what I understand, it seems you are a statistical genius, the person who keeps everyone from dying on a regular basis. Me? I was obsessed with cryptography as a child.”

“Eight languages,” said Astrid-B, not looking up. “Cryptography was one of my interests, but predicting behaviors took precedence.”

“We call it Aspergers,” said Astrid. “Lots and lots of therapy can help, but it by no means goes away.”

“You too?” said Astrid-B, looking up briefly and then immediately back down at her work.

“Yeah, me too,” said Astrid. “But I think this means we can work together really well.”

Astrid-B pointed at the notebook that Astrid had set down. “Have you done analyses on that?”

“Yeah,” said Astrid. “I brought the data with me, but I wasn’t sure what kind of hardware you used for memory storage. Probably something in advance of ours, so I was hoping that you’d have some obsolete technology that could read my flash drive.” Astrid pulled out a flash drive, one that was equipped with a thumb print scanner to encrypt the contents.

“We can handle that,” said Astrid-B, and took the device from her. She leaned under the table, and Astrid couldn’t see what she was doing, but when she was done, the annotated digital version of the notebook appeared on the console, too. “Running a comparison now,” said Astrid-B, and Astrid watched as all of the symbols flashed across the screen, running past each other. At times, there would be matching symbols, which would flash red before disappearing again, but for the most part, it seemed that the majority of the symbols were independent of each other.

Astrid-B confirmed Astrid’s suspicions. “I can’t see any patterns in this, and neither can the computer,” she said. “I don’t know where to begin on cracking this code, or this language...”

“It’s about where we got stuck,” said Astrid, putting the notebook back into her jacket pocket. “What do you know about the Observers?” she asked.

“The Observers?” said Astrid-B, immediately pulling up a search. “We don’t have any such terminology in our database.”

“The guy you captured?” Astrid probed. “The one with no hair, and a plain suit?”

“He hasn’t spoken while in captivity,” said Astrid-B.

“I suspect he hasn’t,” said Astrid. “They show up at Fringe Events -- that’s what we call things that we can’t explain.” Astrid thought about how the majority of the events seemed to be coordinated by the other side, but as that wasn’t the most diplomatic thing to say, she restrained herself. “They’re always in the background of the photos we take, hard to notice,” said Astrid. “We’ve worked with them, but they are men of few words, and even sometimes seem to be mind readers, like they can predict what happens next.”

“We had a man predict what happened next,” said Astrid-B, pulling up the case file. “Milo Stanfield,” she said, pointing to the picture. “Noortropic drugs were used to enhance his IQ to near incomprehensible levels. Perhaps he might be interested in the data from the Observers.”

“Couldn’t hurt,” said Astrid. “Let’s get this over to him.”


	4. Act 3

“You and I were partners here,” said Olivia, sipping her coffee that Peter had brought. She was looking at Charlie, studying his face, wondering about his scar, while Charlie sipped his coffee and attempted to use the computer, whose interface was so backward and old -- in his estimation -- that he hadn’t used an interface like this since elementary school.

“Not so different than in our Universe,” said Charlie. “So, you’re saying that this Wiki website has good information?”

“Crowd sourced, but generally, yeah,” said Olivia. She pointed at the date at the top of the page. “If you click the year, you can get to all the years. It’ll list major historical events.” Charlie did so, and Olivia continued. “We were really good friends. You helped me through some hard times.” She laughed to herself, remembering. “My previous partner, we... we had an affair. And I told you that he said he loved me? And you said that he said he loved you too.”

Charlie looked over sharply at Olivia. “What is with all the past tense? Am I not alive over here?”

“No,” said Olivia, softly, putting down her coffee. “My Charlie was killed by a shapeshifter from your universe, who took your, well his, identity. We suspect that, uh, his infiltration allowed the next.”

Charlie stared hard at Olivia. “I don’t understand,” he said.

“You don’t have to,” said Olivia. “Let’s just do what you came for.” She made a few clicks on her screen, and placed a data disk that Charlie had provided into the rigged writer that Walter had made while exploring the shape shifter data disks. “I’ll download the last hundred years archive of the New York Times, you can take it with you.”

Charlie, meanwhile, looked at the list of important events of the last two decades before him. “Where are the disasters? The Fringe events?”

“Disasters?” asked Olivia. “Terrorist attacks like 9/11, or natural, like Hurricane Katrina?”

“Yeah, I see those, but they aren’t nearly as frequent as they are in my Universe, and there aren’t sink holes and people stuck in Amber. No Boston, no Coast of Maine, no parts of Manhatan solid.” He looked at Olivia. “How can that be?”

“I think you know,” said Olivia. “I think you know what started all of this.”

Charlie looked over his shoulder to where Peter, Walter, and Lincoln were all huddled together pointing at data scrolling on the screen. “The kidnapping of Peter Bishop.”

“Yeah,” said Olivia, quietly. “The consequences for your Universe were completely unforseen, and just as the lack of consequences in this Universe,” she said. “This was always about the love that Walter Bishop had for his son, Peter, a love that crossed universes. He opened the first doorway to your universe to save Peter.”

“That’s it?” said Charlie. “He came to save the boy?”

“Yes,” said Olivia. “This universe is not at war with yours,” she said. “I want to find a way for both sides to coexist.”She paused for a moment, trying to decide if she should act on this instinct or follow orders. “I promised Colonel Broyles.”

Charlie froze. “Colonel Broyles. You know what happened to Colonel Broyles.”

Olivia froze, and looked at Charlie. “You were a good friend to me, on this side and yours.”

Charlie turned to Olivia, squaring his body to hers, hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. “What happened to Colonel Broyles? Please, tell me.”

“He was killed and used as ballast to allow the Olivia from your universe to return to your universe, after her cover had been blown here. He helped me escape, because he believed me, and that put him in the line of fire.” Olivia closed her eyes. “I promised him that I would work to make things better in your universe, Charlie. And I will keep that promise.”

Charlie’s face drained, and let go of Olivia’s shoulder, going limp. “Ballast?”

“To transfer Olivia back to your universe, an item of equal mass needed to be exchanged, to maintain equilibrium,” said Olivia. “Colonel Broyles was killed defending me, and then used to recover Olivia.”

“Olivia,” said Charlie, sighing. “If he believed in you, I believe in you. But I am not sure that we’re going to convince anyone. Certainly not the Secretary of Defense, who is the doppleganger of your Doctor Bishop.”

“I know,” said Olivia, her voice growing desperate. “But there has to be a way to get the message out, to let people know that we aren’t working to destroy your universe!”

“I’ll take everything I can, everything that would tell your side of the story, and I will do what I can to make sure that the truth gets told.”

“Thank you, Charlie,” said Olivia, smiling hopefully. “Thank you.”

 **Other Side** :

“Here,” said Altlivia, handing a few books to Astrid, and a few flash drives. They were standing a long hallway, and Astrid was looking into the glass window of Milo Stanfield. “These are the history of our universe since Reiden Lake, and our case files since our founding.”

“Thanks,” said Astrid, taking the books and memory disks that Altlivia offered. She pointed at Milo. “Noortropic drugs?” she said.

“I don’t know,” said Altlivia. “I wasn’t here for this case.”

“Olivia was,” said Astrid, speaking what Altlivia had left unspoken. Cortexiphan was a Noortropic drug, and Astrid wondered exactly what had been done to poor Milo. She had skimmed the case file, and couldn’t help but think that he had gone from one kind of isolation to another.

“You should have your data soon,” said Altlivia, swinging her hair behind her shoulder. “I don’t know what you’re hoping to find.”

It was Astrid’s turn to roll her eyes a bit. It seemed that this Fringe team wasn’t, well, particularly observant to have not noticed the Observers. “They show up at every Fringe event. They watch it occur. If we could find out what they’re looking for, maybe we could see the big picture too, stop the degradation of the universes, prevent bad things from happening.”

“Seems like a pie in the sky dream,” said Altlivia. “All he keeps saying is ‘The boy attempted to hurt me,’ and ‘May I leave now?’”

“Letting him go with a good tail might be interesting,” said Astrid, still observing Milo. Funny, Astrid-B had said that the Observer had said nothing. “Chances are, he was meeting up with others.”

“We can’t do that,” said Altlivia, her voice serious. “If he opened the doorway, then it stands to reason he’s the only one who can close it.”

“Oh,” said Astrid, looking at Altlivia. “I hope it doesn’t come to closing it.” There was a silence between them momentarily, and Astrid looked away.

“I’ll get your data,” said Altlivia, and she fled the scene.

 **Over Here:**

“So, you know,” said Peter, playing with a molecular model as he leaned over the counter watching Colonel Lee and Walter work. “I think what you’re looking for is the Subtle Knife.”

Walter looked up from the data long enough to make eye contact with Peter, and looked down again. “Subtle Knife?” Lincoln didn’t glance up.

“Yeah,” said Peter. “There’s this series of books that’s like the atheist's Chronicles of Narnia, and there’s a knife that can cut holes through the wall between universes, causing very small leakages of energy -- they call it Dust -- but that they ultimately need to be closed.”

“I highly doubt a knife could do this,” said Lincoln, distracted.

“It was a quantum knife,” said Peter, building a water molecule. “It had a theoretical edge, which could slide between atoms. I mean, it’s a story, but the similarities of our doorway and theirs made me think of it.”

“A theoretical edge,” said Walter, pondering. “I suppose that would work, but I don’t know what kind of instruments you would need to construct such a device.”

“Look here,” said Lincoln, pointing at the data on the computer screen, ignoring the conversation. “You can see that there is some energy loss from our universe into yours.” Lincoln pointed to the graph, showing how there was a spike of energy on the side of the universe that they were currently on, and a low of energy where they had left. “What would cause that kind of energy flow?”

“Different physical laws,” said Walter, softly. Then he got excited. “Both universes, though nearly identical,” he paused for a moment, wracked with guilt, “At least until I changed that, and for that I am truly, truly sorry.” He took a breath. “They have different physical laws.”

“And how is that significant, Walter?” said Peter.

“It could revolutionize modern theoretical physics!” said Walter, rushing around, thinking as he walked frantically.

“It could if we told the theoretical physicists,” said Peter, “but what does it mean for us?”

“It means,” said Walter, “that the problems in the other universe can be explained by this! There was energy leaking from their system! Massive energy loss, due to my incursion, and balance has yet to be restored!”

“Is there a way to restore it?” asked Lincoln, very serious. “To add more energy into the universal system?”

“Perhaps,” said Walter, clapping his hands together and holding them there. “If there a way to find a higher energy universe than yours, and put a doorway, or a worm hole into that universe, and drain off some of their power!”

“Wouldn’t the cycle begin again?” asked Peter.

“Perhaps!” said Walter. “But maybe with a doorway like this one, the change could happen slowly enough that equilibrium could be maintained!”

“Are there other universes?” asked Peter, incredulously.

“We’ve never gone looking,” said Lincoln, thoughtfully. “But it’s possible.” He smiled at Walter. “Good work, sir,” he said, holding out a hand. “I think this explains a lot.”

“Hey Boss,” said Charlie from across the room. “Ready to call it a day?” He and Olivia approached the group working on the science.

“Sure,” said Lincoln. “I think this is a good stopping place.” He smiled at the two men. “Thank you for the rousing scientific discussion,” he said. “I usually get taunted in the office for being interested in the science behind all this strangeness, but it was great to talk to you.” He held out his hand, and there were handshakes all around, for Olivia too.

“He is our little egghead,” said Charlie, smiling, and clapping Lincoln’s shoulder with his hand. “Walk us down?” asked Charlie, looking at Olivia.

“Sure,” said Olivia, smiling. “Right this way.”

The portal between universes seemed to be weirdly lit, even though it was twilight as they approached it. “There may be excess energy here,” whispered Walter.

Peter reached out and touched a metal surface, and sure enough, there was some static electricity discharged. “Yup,” said Peter.

Charlie and Olivia exchanged a hug, before Charlie stepped through the tent to the Other Side, and Lincoln waved.

Lincoln, as soon as he was on the Otherside, his home, he tapped his phone to call. “We got a lot of answers today,” said Lincoln to the person on the other end. “I’ve got all the data, and the conclusions drawn.” He paused for a moment. “No, it’s not good long-term.” He paused again. “Yes sir, Secretary.”

“What’s going on?” asked Charlie, but Lincoln ignored him, starting another call.

“Bring her, and the man,” he said. “We’re shutting his hole.”


	5. Denouement

“What did we learn, agents?” asked Broyles, sitting at his desk, with both Olivia and Astrid across from him.

“Besides the fact that when ever it seems we’re making progress it seems to be one step forward and two steps back?” asked Olivia, frustrated and put off.

“We learned much more about the Observers,” said Astrid, putting a pile of papers on Broyles’ desk. “I’ve got a preliminary report on the notebooks, as helped by a particular idiot savant.”

“Milo’s intelligence had been augmented,” explained Olivia. “It was a case I worked over there -- he could predict people’s actions and reactions into the future. It stood to reason that he could decipher something that had eluded Astrid.” She turned to her partner and smiled. “Good work.”

Astrid smiled back. “It was the other Astrid’s idea,” she said. “But thank you.”

“What else?” asked Broyles. “Anything else gained by the encounter?”

“I sent Charlie back with case files and histories that back up the reality that we are not at war with that Universe,” she said. “I broke Altlivia’s confidence, but it seemed to be a good way to fight the war in a soft manner instead of with blows.”

Broyles nodded. “I trust your judgment. What happened to the Observer?”

“He closed the doorway after Astrid was thrown through from the otherside. We don’t know,” said Olivia.

Broyles nodded, sadly.

 **Otherside:**

In Fringe’s headquarters, everything seemed to be going as usual. Charlie turned around at his desk to look at his Olivia. “So, why didn’t you tell me?” he said.

“Tell you what?” said Olivia, sweeping her hair over one shoulder.

“Tell me that you were gone for eight weeks,” said Charlie. “That you had gone undercover in the other Universe?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Olivia sitting stiffly and trying to laugh it off.

“The Olivia you switched places with? They subjected her to tests, they brainwashed her so she thought she was you, so she _was_ you, with all of your memories,” he grimaced, turned off by the memory of the wrong Olivia answering the right question, when he tried to trip her up. “They wanted to cut her into pieces, to study her.” He looked at her. “If anyone had wanted to do that to you, if anyone _had_ done that to you, I would have killed them.”

Olivia looked at him. “What do you want me to say? Orders are orders.”

“I want you to say that you have some suspicion that what they’re doing over there isn’t about destroying our universe to power ours.” Charlie shook his head. “I thought you were a decent person, trying to do a decent thing. But it turns out you’re not willing to see shades of gray.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I so desperately wanted to put the two teams together, that at first I had no idea how to do it. I was going to go with a literal plot hole, but then my husband pointed out that a literal plot hole WITH different physical laws in each universe... becomes a plot (that I borrowed shamelessly from Isaac Asimov’s “The Gods Themselves”).


End file.
